Furniture-caster.



E. P. ROTHER.

FURNITURE OASTBR. APPLICATION ILBD NOV 2, 1907.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

3 SHEETB-SHEBT 1'.

"INVENT'OR.

wlTNES-SES- E, P. ROTHER. FURNITURE GASTEB. rruouron 11.21) nqv. 2, 1901.

Patented 0013s, 1908.-

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WITNESSES. \IIN\/ENTOR'.

' v .E. P. ROTHER.

FURNITUBEGASTER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1907.

900,424, V Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES. INVENTORQ agana c721 jot wt.

' tien in-a furniture-caster, the object be' UNITED STATES Parana OFFICE. EUGENE PAUL ROTHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 2, 1907. Serial No. 400,878.

Patented Oct. 6, 1:908.

of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a novel constructo provide a device of this character which will permit a piece of furniture equipped therewith to be started in any direction without the resistance usually offered by the casters usually employedby reason of the rimary accommodation of the forks 'thereo to the direction of movement of furniture and which, further, may be readily deflected laterally with relation to any given direction of travel without appreciable resistance, and

scribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention: Figure 1 1s a diagrammatic bottom plan view of the cup of a caster constructed in accordance with my invention showin the disposition of-runways for antifriction balls. Fig. 2' is a similar view of a modified form'of construction. -F' 3 is a side elevation of the said modified form of construction. 'Fi s.

4-' and -5- are vertical sections of t e saidmodified form of construction. Fig. -6-- is a view similar to Figs. -1 and -2- of a further modified form of construction The main object of my present invention is to prov ide a caster in wh ch the su porting mem erconsists of a sphere whic .versally revoluble in a cup equipped with means for reducing frictional resistance to the rotation of the sphere, the invention consisting essentially in the friction reducing means.

. with its removable lip ortion 0 covers more I The cu A in which the sphere B is revoluble is 0 larger diameter than the latter and than a 'semi-sphere.- he inner face of the cup B and its lip C are equipped with runways D, E,'F and G for small spheres H is uniwhich protrude from said runways and'lie in contact with the sphere B, said spheres being so disposed as to prevent escape of the sphere B from the cup in a well-known manner.

The runway'G in the lip is annular and normally horizontally disposed and the central runway D in the cup is likewise annular and horizontally disposed while the runways E and F serve to establish communication between said runways D and G, the runways E extending from the runway G to said runway D, the runways F extending from the runway G to the runways F between the ends of the latter.

erably curved, the object of the curvature thereof being mainly to prevent more than a minimum length of any runway being at any time dis ose transversely to the direction The said runways E are preferably four in. number and are also prefof trave of the caster and thereby. to prevent i more than a minimum number ofsaid spheres from being inert or, in other words,

held against exertion of their functions to prevent or reduce friction. The spherical roller is loosely disposed in the cup so that when the latter is raised from the ground it will drop slightly, thereby relieving the balls in the lateral runways of pressure. The balls in the lateral runways are princi ally relied upon to reduce friction and in or er to perform this function it is obviously necessary that said balls should travel in said runways. annular runway and, hence, the balls can travel in the'lateral runways only rovided that the can leave and reenter. t e same. If the ba s in the annular runway are maintained in contact with the roller while the latter travels on the floor they could not act to reduce friction since they could not travel in the direction of the roller. Accordingly, these balls are maintained relatively free so that ballsin the lateral runways actuated by the roller may readily displace the balls in the annular runwa and enter the same, such balls being rep aced in thelateral runways from the annular. In this manner the travel of all balls is permitted and conseuently, friction in the caster is very lail'zgely o viated. The construction .shown' in .2' to5inclusive while serving su stantially the same purpose permits of greater possibility of inertia o. number of said smaller spheres.

The latter communicate with the a greater depth thereof, an annularrunway for balls in the mouth portion and flange of said cup,

a a central runway in the bottom thereof, latlatter is at t eral runways connecting said central and annular runways, balls d1sposed in said runways, a spherical roller disposed in said cup and resting on said balls, said roller being capable; of limited outward movement relatively to said cup and the outer most balls in said annular runway being adapted tollimit said outward movement, and being normally out of enga ament with said roller when the i6 inner limit of its movement.

2. A furniture caster comprising a cup having a substantially semi-spherical recess, a removable flange secured to the mouth portion of said cup and serving to increase the depth thereof, an annular runway for balls in the mouth portion and flange of said cup, a central runway in the bottom thereof, lateral runways connectin said central and annular runways, balls disposed in said run- 'ways, a spherical roller disposed in said cup and resting on said balls, said roller being capable of limited outward movement relatively to said cup and the outer most balls in said annular runway being adapted to limit said outward movement, and being normally I out of engagement with said roller when the 3. In a urniture caster, t e combination with the spherical roller and a cup containing the same, of runways for anti-friction devices disposed in the inner face of said cup, said runways consisting of a central annular and a concentric runway disposed in the mouth portion of the cup, and laterally disposed runways connectin said central and concentric runways,- sai lateral runways being curved, and anti-friction balls traveling in said runways and having surface contact with said spherical roller.

4. In a furniture caster, the combination with the spherical roller and a cup containing the same, of runways for anti-friction devices disposed in the inner face of said cup, said runways consisting of a central annular and a concentric runway disposed in the mouth portion of the cup, and laterally disposed runways connecting said central and concentric runways, said lateral runways being curved, there bein additional runways connecting said latera runways between their ends with said annular runway, and anti-friction balls traveling in said runways and having surface contact with said spherical roller.

'In testimony whereof I have si ned my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE PAUL 'ROTHER. Witnesses: 1 RUDOLPH WM. Lo'rz, J

T. WALLISER. 

